The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-03-10
The Record Made.

The Record Made.
The forty Congress is thing Of
the past. Its record is made. 1t is re-
cord which will scarcely be recalled with
pride by those in whose hands its making
was. Never has there been a more signal
failure in the performance of definite
promises. Especially is this true with
reference to measures afft citing the South,
and particularly Virginia.
The shibboleth of the campaign of 1854
is still fresh in the public mind. Turn
the rascals OUT" was the loudest cry. The
opportunity was given and the ''rascals' y
went. Then followed investigation of the
alleged rascality, and the very accusers
themselves were forced to testify to the
honesty, the capacity, the faithfulness to
trust of those against whom they had SO
bitterly inveighed.
Examine the books,'' was the next de-
mand. The examination disclosed no
shadow of wrong doing. Order, system,
business management and official integrity
and capacity were evidenced by every page
and item of the huge ledgers.
"Count the money in the Treasury and
show where millions have been stolen, y
was echoed from every hastings, and when
the count was made the last copper due
the government was at hand to meet the
demand. Splendid financial management,
absolute honesty, were attested at every
step in the search for fraud.
Reduce the surplus in the Treasury and
relieve the people of the onerous exactions
of the robber tariff" Two years have
passed, and yet not one measure has been
added to the statute books that even looks
to reduction of the national income or
adequate provision for its 1udioious ex-
penditure.
'Rehabilitate the navy and fortify the
coasts" Every proposition looking to the
accomplishment of these objects, was de-
feated in previous Congresses. for the allie
ged reason hat the Democratic House was
afraid to trust the expenditure Of the
money to Republican administration =
In the 49th Congress Republican Senate
scorned to retaliate in kind, and looking
solely to the interests Of the country and
the protection of the people and their
property, voted millions to be expended Dy
Democratic administration. But Dem
ocratic House, reckless of promises, per
mits the measure to die.
abolish the ''Infernal Revenue" and
break up the nursery of spies and inform
ers," was rallying shout Of the Virginia
Democracy, and the assurance was given
that with the advent of the 'unterrified"
would come the abolition of the "infa.
nous" system. And yet every move to
carry out that promise has met with igno-
minious defeat. The Republicans alone
have made bona fide effort to wipe out
this relict of the war tax, and especially
the tax On tobacco, and the Democratic
House and the officers it elected have stood
like stone wall against any modification.
The excuse WILDE given that Randall tried
to have the tobacco tax wiped out, and was
denied recognition by the arbitrary ruling
of the Speaker. That is a mere excuse,
and will be found lame and impotent when
the people come to examine it. The cor
respondence between the so-ealled Demo
cratic protectionist and the Speaker dis
closed the fact that Randall merely offer
ed to make tie motion because he feared
it would be made by Republican. He
knew and the world knew that the measure
had no chance of success except by the
almost unanimous vote of the Republicans
augmented by the vote of few boiling
Democrats. A record on the measure was
the last thing Mr.. Randall and his col
leagues wanted, and they chose the wisest
way to avoid it in the course they pursued.
The people of Virginia should study well
this action on the tobacco tax. The closer
it is investigated the clearer it will show
that no hope of relief remains to them as
long as Democratic House and President
hold control.
The passage of the Blair Educational
Bill" the benefit of which to the children
of the South cannot be measured by words.
was another promise made to be broken.
Twice was the bill passed by Republican
Senate, and each time it met its death in
the House Of its enemies.
Even the River and Harbor Bill in which
Virginia and the South had deep inter-
est, failed to become law, and the i'm
provements now under way will have to be
temporarily abandoned. Thousands of
wOrkmen will be thrown out Of employ
ment. and a useless waste of money incur
red by reason of the damage that must nee !
essarily result from leaving the work in an
condition.
The failure of the Bankrupt Bill and
other measures demanded by the interests
of the people, make up a record of omis.
sion, of faithless stewardship and reckless
of pledges that will not be soon
forgotten or readily overlooked.